Sir Keir Starmer has been planning to make Labour MPs vote down any attempt to refer him to a parliamentary sleaze inquiry over his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as the UK’s Ambassador to the US.
The Prime Minister is expected to face a crunch vote on Tuesday after Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle opened the door to a debate on referring Sir Keir to the privileges committee.
The privileges committee ultimately brought about the downfall of Boris Johnson in June 2023, with the former Prime Minister resigning as the MP for Uxbridge & South Ruislip after being found to have misled MPs over Partygate.
Sir Lindsay, who No10 was hoping would deny the request for a vote, is expected to grant the request due to the “relatively low” procedural bar for doing so.
However, The Times has revealed that the Prime Minister is planning to whip Labour MPs to oppose any attempt to bring about a parliamentary investigation.
Labour grandees Sir Alan Johnson and Lord Blunkett have also issued a joint statement opposing the vote.
The pair said: “The fact that Kemi Badenoch has changed the accusations she is levelling against the PM on an almost daily basis as her claims have failed to stand up to scrutiny shows what this is really about.
“This is a nakedly political stunt with no substance ahead of the May elections.
The Prime Minister is expected to face a crunch vote on Tuesday after Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle opened the door to a debate on referring Sir Keir to the privileges committee.
|
PA
“Any comparison with Boris Johnson is absurd. When parliament referred that matter to the privileges committee, a police investigation had directly disproved his categoric statements that he knew nothing about the breach of lockdown rules.”
The Prime Minister’s allies also argue that a parliamentary probe would be a “waste of public money” and a “diversion from the major challenges this country faces”.
Sir Keir, who consistently denies misleading MPs, is expected to face a challenging week over the scandal surrounding Lord Mandelson.
Morgan McSweeney, who resigned as the Prime Minister’s chief of staff in February, will appear before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on Tuesday.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle is expected to grant the request
| PA
Mr McSweeney will likely be asked about claims he told ex-Foreign Office mandarin Sir Philip Barton to “just f**king approve” Lord Mandelson’s move to Washington.
Despite romping to victory in 2024 with a majority of 170, Sir Keir risks emboldening Labour rebels by whipping MPs to vote against a sleaze probe.
A growing group of Labour backbenchers have broken ranks with the Prime Minister to call for him to resign.
Speaking to GB News last week, Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash said: “They just need to get a grip. I’m completely fed up about it, and I think it’s got to the point now where I genuinely think that, you know, as far as the Prime Minister is concerned, it’s not a case of if, it’s when.”
Keir Starmer has already been criticised for appointing Lord Mandelson, who had links to paedophile Jeffery Epsetin | PA
Meanwhile, veteran Labour MP Graham Stringer told The People’s Channel: “He should announce a timetable for him going so the Labour Party could have a proper discussion and debate about what is best for the country, what is best for the Labour Party and choose a leader accordingly.”
Labour rebels have also been tipped to join forces with the Tories to force through a parliamentary sleaze probe.
A Labour MP told The Sun on Sunday: “Watch out for the Privileges Committee – a lot of Labour MPs are angry.”
Tory MP Saqib Bhatti also appeared to extend an olive branch to Labour backbenchers.
Labour MP Jonathan Brash called for Keir Starmer to quit live on GB News | GB NEWS
He said: “Labour MPs need to decide pronto if they stand with the victims of abuse or Starmer who didn’t care at all.”
However, Sir Keir insists a majority of Labour MPs remain supportive of his leadership.
“What you never hear from are all the people who are supportive, loyal and just want to get on with the job. And that is the vast majority of people in the Parliamentary Labour Party,” the Prime Minister told The Sunday Times.
Sir Keir added: “They’ve waited a long time to be in power. And they just want to get on with their job. They don’t make a lot of noise about it.
“They don’t talk to journalists about it. It’s really important that is reflected in these debates.”